Propeller apparatus for vessels.



J. KIERNAN. PROPELLER APPARATUS FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.23. 1915.

Patented Nov.

TE STATES P FFC.

JOHN KIERNAN, OI PATERSON, NEW JERSEY.

PROPELLER APPARATUS FOR VESSELS,

This invention relates to power apparatus or propelling mechanism for vessels, and the object thereof is 'to provide an improved apparatus of this class in which the propelling medium or power agent is' compressed air, and in. which the. compressed air is automatically supplied after the apparatus has once been started and the vessel put in motion, and with thisand other objects in view the invention consists in an apparatus of the class specified, constructed and operated as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which Figure 1 is a sectional planview of the hull of a vessel provided with my improved propelling apparatus; Fig. 2 a cross section on the line 22 of Fig. 1 and'showing a detail ofthe construction; and, Fig. 3 a viewlooking in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 1 and showing another detail.

In the drawing forming part of this specification, I have shown at a the hull of a vessel which, in the form of construction shown,

is provided with two transverse bulkheads a having bulkhead doors a and dividing the hull into three separate compartments a, a and a, but it must be understood that my invention is not limited to the number of bulkheads, or the number of compartments,

' horizontally of the hull and in the bottom any desired number of which may be ployed.

In the practice of my invention I place portion thereof, and on the opposite side of the keel thereof, two pipes b which open forwardly through the bow of the hull and backwardly through the stern thereof, and in connection with these pipes are mounted both in the bow portion and stem portion, a pair of water driven motors or turbines 0,

'. one for each pipe, and these pairs of water Specification of Letters Patent.

driven motors have a common shaft 0 provided centrally thereof with a small gear v Patented Nov. 2', 1915.

Application filed April 23, 1915. Serial No. 23,300.

compressors c are connected by pipes 0 with a common compressed air tank orre ceiver c and the pipes c are provided with valves 0 At one side of the air tank 0 is a compressor d driven by a gasolene, electric or other motor (1*, and the compressor 01 is placed in communication with the tank 0 by a pipe (i provided with a valve d.

Connected with the tank 0 isa pipe 6 partment a and the valve coupling 'is provided with avalve e operated by a rod 6 which passes through the bulk-head a and is adapted to be "operated from the rear compartment a, and said pipe e is also provided with a transverse pipe e 'which passes sprocket chains 1, and the sprocket chains having a valve coupling 6 and the pipe e, tank a and compressor al, in the construc- 't1on shown, are located in the central comthrough both of the bulkheads a and coma f are driven by a central gear I" and connected with the gear 7' are other gears f"),

around gears f having cranks f by which they may be operated, and by means of this construction the valve devices fat the front or bow of the vessel may be regulated or controlled at all times from the engine room as may also the valve devices 7 at the stern of the vessel,

The vessel is driven by a propeller g havfingia shaft 9 which passes into and is driven bya compressed air engine 9 and and mounted on the gears f are drive chains said propeller shaft is provided with a balance wheel 9* and a pipe 9 is'connected with the compressed air tank '0 and With the compressed air engine 9 and is provided with valves 9 and 9 .one of which is in the rear compartment of the vessel, or the engine room, and the other in the central compartment. I also provide a compressed air gage h which is mounted in the engine room and is in communication with the compressed air tank 0 by a pipe k which passes through the rear bulkhead a \Vith this construction the tank 0 is first filled with compressed air by the engine or motor (Z and the propeller is started by opening the valves g and g, or the pipe 9 may be provided with but one valve, if desired, and as the propeller is started the valves f both in the front and stern portions of the vessel are open and the water rushes through the pipes 12 and operates the motors c, and the air in the tank 0 is automatically compressed, or said tank is kept,

filled with compressed air automatically, and the compressed air from the tank 0 is automatically supplied to the engine 9 and this continues as long as the vessel is in motion. It will therefore be seen that the compressor (Z may be used only for starting the engine or apparatus, after which the valve (i may be closed and the operation will be automatic, but the said compressor d may be employed whenever necessary for the purpose of filling or refilling the tank 0 but .under all normal conditions the operation of the water passing throughthe pipes b and driving the motor 0 will operate the compressor 0 and keep the tank a supplied With air under sufficient preszure to drive the engine 9 It willvalso be seen that the separate compartments a", a and a of the hull may be kept full of compressed air rom the tank 0 and this pressure may be increased whenever desired and may be made sufficient in case of injury to the hull to prevent water from entering either of said compartments. It will also be understood that my invention is not limited to the exact details of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts herein shown and described, and various'parts of my improved propelling apparatus may be located in any desired position, and various changes in and modifications of. the construction herein described may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificingits advantages.

.laving fully described my invention, what-I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A vessel, the bottom of the hull of which is provided with two pipes which extend longitudinally therethrough and which open through the bow and stern of the hull, water motors adapted to be driven by water passing through said pipes, a main air tank,

means whereby the operation of said motors means whereby the operation of said mo.-

tors Will fill said tank with compressed air, independent means for filling said tank with compressed air, a propeller driven by compressed air taken from said tank, and means for controlling the passage of water through said pipes.

3. A combination with the hull of a vessel of bulkheads by which said hull is divided into separate compartments, parallel pipes mounted longitudinally in the bottom of the hull and opening through the bow and stern thereof and passing through said bulkheads, a compressed air tank, means for filling said tank with compressed air, motors connected with said pipes and operated by water passing therethrough, means whereby the operation of said motors will also compress the air in said tank, a propeller driven by compressed air taken from said tank,'and means whereby the compartments of the hull may be filled with compressed air taken from said tank.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of the subscribing witnesses this 21st day of April 1915.

JOHN KIERNAN.

Witnesses:

C. MULREANY, H. E. TnoMPsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington. D. C. 

